Working at HDR
Local Impact, Global Reach
With offices across Canada and a vast network of global expertise, HDR offers a variety of ways to connect with diverse people to find your place and shape the trajectory of your career. Our goal isn’t just to reach the next milestone. We enable you to grow your talent and flourish — helping our clients to change the world for the better.
Making an Impact
HDR Foundation
Our employee-funded and employee-driven HDR Foundation awards grants to qualified organizations that align with our areas of expertise: education, healthy communities and environmental stewardship.
Sustainability Stewards Program
Local Sustainability Stewards Programs help to build a culture of sustainability in our offices through education and events. Employee volunteers help to improve business practices, enhance our office spaces and promote environmental stewardship in our communities.
Earning Professional Recognition
Pathfinders Awards Program
Through our Pathfinders awards program, we recognize employees whose dedication to quality, innovation and productivity goes far beyond the norm. Employees nominate their peers in eight categories, and volunteer employee committees determine four levels of award winners ranging from local office awards to two companywide Pathfinders of Distinction. Local offices plan special events to celebrate their award recipients each year.
Career Development Programs
We provide training opportunities for personal and professional growth, with a particular focus on cultivating leadership skills. Through eLearning, virtual instructor-led training, mentoring opportunities, and coaching, we offer skill development to cultivate the next generation of leaders at HDR.
Professional Associates Program
Our Professional Associates program recognizes professional excellence demonstrated by employees who have distinguished themselves as technical or creative experts in their chosen career fields. Our Professional Associates become recognized experts who engage with employees beyond their immediate team and geography to share their expertise across the company.
Fellowship Program
We reinforce the importance of professional excellence by helping our industry thought leaders pursue innovative ideas through our Fellowship Program. Each year, we select employees to pursue creative solutions to technical issues facing our clients and industry through a one-year funded fellowship.
Building Relationships
Employee Network Groups
Open to all employees, our Employee Network Groups create an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Our ENGs bring employees together to provide support, enhance career development, and contribute to personal development in the work environment.
Mentoring
With a focus on cultivating the best in each of our employees, we offer formal mentoring programs that match employees with mentors who can share their career experience and foster meaningful relationships within HDR.
Total Service Organization
Employee volunteers comprise local TSO committees that organize activities that turn our vision of corporate culture into a reality. From celebrating work anniversaries and birthdays, to acknowledging team members for work well done, to planning local social and charity activities, our TSO members help shape the workplace employees want to experience.
Bi-Annual Conferences
Every other year, our largest practice areas gather professionals from across the globe for a two-day conference designed to inspire passion, share knowledge and build meaningful relationships. The event features high-production presentations, intense collaborative workshops, professional development opportunities and in-person networking with team members from across the company.
Promoting Health and Wellness
Employee Assistance Program
We all need help sometimes. Our Employee Assistance Program offers confidential assessments and short-term counselling for employees and family members experiencing mental health concerns.
Wellness Program
Our Wellness Program is designed to improve the quality of life for all employees through programs promoting healthy lifestyles. This includes education, incentives, challenges and fun activities that encourage physical wellness, as well as financial and emotional wellness.
Team Activities & Sports
Employees in many of our offices are teammates outside the office, too. Through our Young Professionals Group and local social committees, employees take part in recreational sports leagues, bicycle/running clubs, trivia nights, charity 5K runs and more.
A Snapshot of Working at HDR
“Our teams understand the importance of design excellence and the relationship of the built environment and user experience. I feel a great responsibility to design well for our clients and the people who will use our projects.”
"Being an employee owner means your daily contribution provides a tangible return to you. There is no other investment I trust more than the company I know best."
"I often feel like a kid in a candy store learning from the best, and I know I can ask for help when challenges arise. Everyone genuinely wants to serve our clients by delivering designs that exceed expectations."
"HDR’s culture is anchored in mutual respect, collaboration and a shared sense of purpose to make great things possible for our clients and communities."
"No matter how challenging the issue, I can always find someone within the organization who not only has the technical know-how, but who is also excited to jump in and collaborate in finding the best solution from both an economic and technical perspective."
"Working globally is similar in embarking on a journey filled with unforeseen adventures, hope, continuous learning and cross-cultural experiences."
"HDR is a place where I know my growth and development matter. In navigating various roles in my career here, I have had excellent mentors and champions, and I have been afforded the opportunity to try out different things as I’ve grown in my career."
"I enjoy being part of a company that has strong foundations, where we come together to celebrate achievements, fostering a community spirit that makes us feel connected."
"HDR employees have opportunities to work on projects that align with their personal career goals and projects that ignite the employee’s professional passion to be creative and make a difference."
"There are several reasons why I like working at HDR. One is the diversity and complexity of the issues that we help our clients solve. Another is the quality of the people working for this company."